Nidahas Trophy: Sri Lanka stuns India in tri-series opener

Sri Lanka beat India by 5 wickets in tri-series opener

Live scorecard, India vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I, Colombo

Sri Lanka Innings: Kusal Perera’s blistering knock of 66 runs off 37 balls helped Sri Lanka stun India in the opening encounter of Nidahas trophy in Colombo. Perera rattled the inexperienced Indian bowler giving his side a brilliant start in chase of 175. Kusal slammed 6 fours and 4 monstrous sixes in his terrific knock. Unsetteled Indian bowlers never got back in the game after initial pounding by the Sri Lankan batsmen. Though spin duo of Chahal and Sundar grabbed 3 wickets in the latter part of the innings but sensible batting by Thisara Perera (22 not out) and Dasun Shanaka (15 not out) towards the end helped the Lankans get pass the score with 9 balls to spare.

Sri Lanka beat India by 5 wickets in tri-series opener

Chahal Strikes AGAIN

Tharanga is OUT! Trying to sweep a looped ball off Chahal, Tharanga misses. Ball crashes straight into the stumps. Great comeback for India. SL 137 for 5 after 15 overs. Require another 38 runs from 30 balls

Perera is finally OUT!

Washington Sundar finally gets the price wicket of dangerous Kusal Perera. Trying to hit ball down the ground for maximum, Perera misses a flighted delivery of Sundar. Stumper Dinesh Karthik does the rest. Perera takes a long walk back after brilliant 66 off 37 balls. 127-4 after 12.3 overs 

Chahal breaks the partnership

OUT! Third wicket for India. Chahal goes through the defences of Chandimal. But Sri Lanka are still steering at 98 for 3 after 8.5 overs. Need another 77 from 67 balls with 7 wickets remaining

Quick fire 50 for Perera!

Kusal Perera has dismantled the inexperienced Indian bowling attack. Smashes his eighth T20I fifty off just 22 balls. This is the second fastest fifty for Sri Lanka after Kumar Sangakkara who achieved the feat off 21 balls. SL are cruising at 12RPO are at 92-2 after 8 overs. Need another 83 runs from 12 overs with 8 wickets remaining

SL looses second wicket 

At the expense of 14 runs Unadkat finally dismisses Danushka Gunathilaka(19). Rishabh Pant takes a simple catch at mid-off. Sri Lanka are 70-2 after 5 overs

Perera goes after Thakur

4,4,4,6,5nb,4,0 off the third over. Parera is breathing FIRE. Slams 27 runs off Shardul Thakur's over. Perera is in some sort of hurry to finish up the match. Slams ball all around the park. Parera is currently on 33 off 10 balls. Sri Lanka 46 for 1 after 3 overs 

Washington Sundar draws first blood!

Dhawan in the act again. Trying to heave the ball off Sundar over the inner circle, Kusal Mendis mistimes his lofted shot and hits the ball towards mid-off. Dhawan takes a neat catch running behind. Sri Lanka are 19 for 1 after 2 overs.

 

Innings Summary: After suffering initial double blow, Indian team bounced back in the match riding on Shikhar Dhawan's blistering 90 off 49 balls. After the Raina and Rohit downfall, Dhawan stitched a brilliant 95-runs fourth wicket partnership with Manish Pandey. Post Manish and Dhawan, Rishabh Pant (23) and Dinesh Karthik(13 not out) chipped in with quick runs towards the end helping India to reach 174 for 5 in their designated 20 overs. Star for India, Shikhar Dhawan also managed his highest individual score in T20I. For Sri Lanka Dushmantha Chameera starred with the ball grabbing couple of wickets. 

Dhawan Departs

After scoring a brilliant 90 off 49 balls, Dhawan takes a long walk back to the pavalion. Trying to up the scoring rate Dhawan lofts the ball straight down the throat of long-off. India 153-4 after 18 overs

Dhawan dealing in SIXES

Shikhar Dhawan is on FIRE. Another monstrous SIX for Dhawan. Dances down the ground and clobbers Chameera over his head for a massive six straight down the ground. Dhawan batting on 89 off 47 balls. India 150-3 after 17 overs.

Third wicket for SL 

Manish Pandey is OUT! Trying to up the scoring rate Manish lofts the ball off Jeevan Mendis towards deep midwicket only to find Danushka Gunathilaka who takes a simple catch. Manish walks back after scoring a gritty 37. India 105-3 after 13 overs.

That’s fifty for Dhawan

A well deserved fifty for Shikhar Dhawan. A wide delivery outside off and Dhawan clobbers it for a boundary to complete his fifth T20I fifty off 30 balls. It has been a tremendous knock from the flamboyant left-hander. Indfia looking good for a big total now. 

India 80-2 after first half

Half way through and India are 80-2 after 10 overs. 71-runs partnership between Dhawan and Manish has set India up for a big score. After early loss both have played sensibly and now look quite settled.

Dhawan survives REVIEW

Second ball of the eighth over and Jeevan Mendis goes for a big LBW appeal. After on-field rules not out, Sri Lanka go for the review. Replay shows the ball pitching outside leg stump. Dhawan SURVIVES. India 57-2 after 8 overs.

Dhawan-Pandey reconstruct Indian inning after twin blow

Though Sri Lanka rattled Indian top order but opener Shikhar Dhawan and Manish now look in command. It has been an eventful powerplay for both the teams. After early blow, Indai has bounced back with Dhawan scoring quick fire 28 off 20 balls. India 40-2 ofter 6 overs.

Second blow for India

Suresh Raina BOWLED! Trying to make room for himself, Raina goes too wide. Misses and the ball strikes the timber. India in trouble at 9-2 after 2 overs.  

Rohit Sharma is OUT 

Fourth ball of the first over and Rohit Sharma is out for a duck. Trying to take advantage of the fielding restriction, Rohit goes over mid-off. Ball goes high while failing to go the distance. Jeevan Mendis grabs a blinder running backwards. India 1-1 after 0.4 overs

India playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma(capt), Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey,Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, Vijay Shankar, Jaydev Unadkat, Washington Sundar, Dinesh Karthik(wk).

Sri Lanka playing XI: Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal(w/c), Kusal Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep.

Team News: Tamil Nadu lad Vijay Shankar makes debut for India. Dinesh Karthik has been listed in the team sheet to keep wickets instead of Rishabh Pant. Washington Sundar gets a place in the squad while KL Rahul has not been included in the playing XI. For Sri Lanka 

TOSS: Sri Lanka win the toss opt to bowl first against India in the first T20I 

Vijay Shankar all set to make his T20I debut. Team coach Ravi Shastri hands him his India cap. 

A familiar huddle and some new faces. Time to get The Nidahas Trophy underway. In other news - @vijayshankar260 is all set to make his T20I debut #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/yhjYR6YZlj

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 6, 2018

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the opening encounter of Nidahas Trophy in Colombo. India and Sri Lanka will lock horns in the first T20I encounter of the tri-series which has Bangladesh as the third team. After thumping South Africa in ODIs and T20Is, revamped Indian side under leadership of Rohit Sharma will be eager to justify their 'favourites' tag. Whereas after a dreadful 2017, hosts will look better their records atleast in the shortest format of the game. It will be an exciting contest to watch as both sides will have to cope up in the absence of key player. 

Preview

After an eventful tour of South Africa, India is all set for the final series of their prolonged season. In the absence of seniors players like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, who were rested after a hectic two-month long tour of South Africa, revamped Indian team under the leadership of Rohit Sharma will face Sri Lanka in the opening Twenty20 International encounter of the tri-nation series at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

The decision of BCCI to rest key players will give the chance to some promising young players to make their mark. Players like Washington Sundar, Vijay Shankar, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda and Mohammad Siraj were included in the squad after series of good performances in the domestic season are rearing to give a trouble times to both the team in the series.

"We are happy to be here and expect to play some good cricket in the Nidahas Trophy. It is an honour for me to lead the side and it is going to be no different in this series. I am excited to see how this young team performs," said Rohit Sharma ahead of the first encounter.

On the other hand, injuries have taken the front seat for the hosts before the start of the series as Asela Gunaratne, Shehan Madushanka and Angelo Mathews have been ruled out. Now it all depends on Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga, Thisara Perera and Suranga Lakmal to get the team going.

The return of Kusal Perera, who missed Bangladesh T20Is due to injury, will also be an advantage of the hosts.

After a disastrous 2017, the Islanders will look to give some quality performances to shut down their critics.

The tri-nation Nidahas Trophy series which will be contested between Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh will have 7 matches including the finals. All matches will be played in R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Squad

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wk).

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (Captain), Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, D Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, D Gunathilaka , Jeevan Mendis, S Lakmal (VC), I Udana, Akila Dananjaya, A Aponso, N Pradeep, D Chameera, D De Silva